Connecticut's First 'VegFest' To Promote An Alternate Lifestyle

April 09, 2012|By LEEANNE GRIFFIN, Special to the Courant, The Hartford Courant

Your ideal weekend meals might involve bacon and eggs for breakfast, a burger and beer at lunch or maybe a medium-rare filet mignon at dinner. But the organizers of the upcoming Connecticut Vegetarian and Healthy Living Festival are hoping you might rethink those plans, at least for a couple of days.

The first-ever "VegFest," taking place April 28 and 29 at the Connecticut Convention Center in Hartford, brings together experts on vegan and vegetarian living for a "whole body, mind and spirit" experience. It's free and open to the public.

The festival is spearheaded by Ani Tirpan, owner of Wholesome Creations in North Haven. Tirpan's business makes all-natural, vegan and gluten-free salad dressings. While promoting her products at a vegetarian festival in Seattle last year, Tirpan started thinking, and concluded that Connecticut was due for a similar event.

But where other comparable festivals focused primarily on diets and nutrition, Tirpan wanted to incorporate the entire vegan lifestyle into Connecticut's version.

"It's not just about food," she said. "It's about compassionate living, caring about the environment…reducing carbon footprints, using products not tested on animals."

Among the noted speakers are Ginny Messina, a dietitian specializing in vegan nutrition; Jasmin Singer and Mariann Sullivan of Our Hen House, who will present a talk on ways to transition to a vegan lifestyle; and George Parker, a certified raw foods chef and personal trainer.

The festival also features vegan food sampling and cooking workshops from Mary Lawrence, the owner of Well on Wheels, a vegan personal chef service based in the New Haven area. Culinary experts from three local Whole Foods stores will be on hand for demonstrations as well. Gardener and author Robert Braunstein will share techniques for growing microgreens at home.

Yoga enthusiasts — or curious beginners — can drop in on the dedicated "yoga room," with a schedule of ongoing classes and rotating instructors throughout the event.

The film "Vegucated" will be screened in the afternoon both days — a feature-length documentary that follows three "meat- and cheese-loving New Yorkers" as they agree to adopt a vegan diet for six weeks.

"We've got some really excellent, dedicated people who are helping us out," Tirpan said.

Tirpan herself has been an "on and off" vegetarian for 25 years, she said, and as of late has been maintaining a mostly raw diet. And though the event is likely to attract those already following a vegan/vegetarian lifestyle, she said she doesn't want to "preach to the choir."

"My biggest goal is to invite and encourage non-vegans to come and learn. It's not just about diet. There [are] so many things they can do to improve their lives," she said. "We want them to learn as much as they can, challenge them a bit."

The Connecticut Vegetarian and Healthy Living Festival will be held at the Connecticut Convention Center 100 Columbus Blvd, Hartford, April 28 from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. and April 29 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Entrance is free, but attendees are encouraged to bring a non-perishable vegan or vegetarian food item for local food banks or shelters. For more information, visit ctvegfest.org.